In the slide opening type(or a drawer type, top loading) dishwasher, a washer tub for accommodating and cleaning the dishware is extracted from and retracted into a main body of the dishwasher in a to-and-fro direction by means of slide rail assemblies. Such a slide opening type dishwasher is preferably built in a kitchen cabinet to establish a system kitchen capable of mounting therein a dishwasher.
Referring to FIG. 17, there is shown one of prior art slide opening type disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3129318. As shown, the slide opening type dishwasher includes washer tub 14 having an open top and main body 15 having an open front. Washer tub 14 is coupled with main body 15 in such a manner it can be slidably moved into and out of main body 15 through the open front of main body 15. Such sliding movement of washer tub 14 is achieved by a slide assembly. The slide assembly has a pair of first slide rails 16(only one shown) secured on both inner side surfaces of main body 15 and a pair of second slide rails 17(only one shown) fixed on both outer side surfaces of washer tub 14. Between first and second slide rails 16 and 17 are provided rotating bodies, e.g., ball bearings. This allows second slide rails 17 fixed at washer tub 14 to slidably move along first slide rails 16, enabling washer tub 14 to be smoothly extracted from and retracted into main body 15.
The dishwasher described above suffers from certain drawbacks. For example, even when washer tub 14 is fully extracted from main body 15, a rear section thereof still remains inside main body 15. In other words, the rear section of washer tub 14 is covered with main body 15. For this reason, it is rather difficult to charge and discharge the dishware in and from the rear section.
When washer tub 14 is fully extracted from main body 15, a gap will be opened between the rear section of thus extracted washer tub 14 and main body 15. Particularly, in case electric parts such as a washing pump are provided behind washer tub, some of the electric parts are exposed, spoiling the appearance. Further, if child's hand or metallic substances are inserted through the gap, it may cause an accident or a failure of the equipment. Accordingly, a scheme for blocking the gap is required.